The concept of employee engagement by Lori Sweere

One of the business metrics getting attention lately is the concept of employee engagement. Employee engagement refers to the degree of emotional involvement employees have in the company and in the work they do. Some companies interpret this to mean that their employees should feel happy or satisfied with their work, but that notion misses the mark.

Good human resources management takes an interest in employee happiness and satisfaction, but neither factor has shown a direct impact on business outcomes. A happy employee or a satisfied employee is not necessarily going to work after normal business hours to complete a task without being asked, or go the extra mile to maintain the workplace without management oversight.

Employees who are engaged take initiative. They care about the company’s mission. Strategies to maximize feelings of engagement, including rewards for engaged performance, regular and clear communication between management and employees, and promoting the feeling of job importance, can improve the function of day-to-day business operations and therefore net profits.

About the Author:

Lori Sweere, Executive VP of Human Capital for United HealthGroup, has been recognized for her ability to consistently improve employee engagement.